Shannen Doherty dead; beloved Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed star was 53

Last Updated on July 18, 2024

Shannen Doherty, one of the most iconic TV stars of the 90s, has passed away following a long battle with cancer. Doherty’s publicist broke the news via a statement to People Magazine, in which she said, “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease.” Doherty had been publicly waging a battle against the disease since 2015 when she was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer. 

Doherty is best known for her roles in two long-running TV shows. However, she first arrived on the scene playing one of the titular characters in the classic black comedy Heathers, opposite Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. She then starred as Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills 90210 from 1990 to 1994, before leaving the show mid-run. After a series of films, including Kevin Smith’s iconic Mallrats, Doherty returned to TV to star in the long-running series Charmed opposite Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. She also left that show mid-run but would return to TV for two Beverly Hills 90210 revivals, the first being in 2008 and most recently in the reality spoof hybrid BH90210 in 2019.

Throughout her career, Doherty was frequently a target of the tabloids because she left her two hit shows relatively early in their run. In recent years, she hosted a podcast called Let’s Be Clear in which she opened up about her experiences on both shows, often interviewing former co-stars like Brian Austin Green and Holly Marie Combs. She also documented her various health challenges and remained an inspiring figure to many for how courageously she faced her cancer diagnosis and battle. 

Sadly, another 90210 co-star, Luke Perry, died in 2019 at only 52.

Suffice it to say that Doherty, through her many TV shows and films, more than made her mark, and she will be missed.